Remedy
by mydeadlillies
Summary: After the loss of her mother Beth is looking for a way out of her small town, when she gets her acceptance letter from her dream college she is sure it's her ticket to freedom. She will slowly realise that pain doesn't just disappear and with the help of new friends a broody bartender Beth makes a life beyond Georgia.
1. Chapter 1

**It's been a long time since I've posted but I've been working on this story for a while, I wont lie its going to be a lot of build up and a lot of development with Beth. It's completely AU and I hope you enjoy. Also if anyone wants to be a BETA reader please comment this story has become my baby in a way and I want it to be the best it can be. Anyways I hope you all enjoy!**

 _One_

It's been days since Beth has showered, honestly she couldn't remember the last time she brushed her teeth. She smacked her tongue against her teeth feeling the plaque that rested on her pearly whites wondering if cavities had formed on her molars. Surely it took years of candy to get any type of cavities it couldn't happen in a weeks time. Rolling on her stomach Beth took in the sent of her pillows, even with not washing any of her sheets the faint smell of fabric softener filled her senses. Beth let a sad smile fill her lips as she thought of her mama hanging laundry in the backyard. Beth hated washing the clothes and somehow she always got stuck with helping her mom washing and hanging the sheets, now she would do as many piles of dirty laundry as she could if she could hear her moms laughter while Beth struggled to hang the clothes over the line. Throwing the pillow across the room Beth grunted in frustration, how could she leave her like this?

Cancer was a bitch and even though it wasn't her moms fault Beth needed to be angry at someone, hell Beth was angry at everyone. One day it was her dads fault the next it was Maggie's and in the late hours of the night it was Beth's fault. She should have hugged her more, made her laugh harder, she could have spent every day at the hospital but like a coward she focused all her attention on anything else. Tears started to form in her blue eyes and Beth raked her dry hands across her tired eyes, crying didn't make anything better, it didn't bring her back so Beth doesn't cry anymore.

Rolling to her back once more she stared at the water stain that formed on her ceiling years ago, it was the worst color of yellow, pale and dirty and Beth had always hated the way it looked. Her room was a mix of white and pale blues and the blotchy stain always looked harsh compared to the rest of her four walls. Standing up quickly on her twin sized mattress Beth screamed at that ugly yellow stain. If anyone walked in right now she's sure they'd think she was insane but Beth just didn't care anymore, nothing mattered and if she wanted to yell at the water stain that has plagued her for so long she would. Her voice cracked pretty quickly from dehydration and Beth swallowed the invisible cotton in her mouth. With a huff she fell back on her bottom and shook her head dizzily, it'd been days since she ate and today is the first time that she actually felt hungry, she could eat a horse right about now.

Getting off her bed she shuffled into her slippers and made her way out the door, as she passed the mirror on the stairs Beth took a brave glance at her appearance. Her golden hair was knotted and frizzy, her eyes looked more gray than blue and the dark circles under her eyes shined against her porcelain skin. "Coward." it was no louder than whisper to the girl in the mirror and with a final glance she made her way down to the kitchen.

Mess was an understatement for the kitchen's state. Bottles of liquor and beer littered the counters and old take out dishes were molding by the second. With a huff of anger Beth threw the closest pizza box into the trash and headed to the fridge, with a rough pull she looked into the steel cooler. "Empty, figures." Old condiments and fresh beer was all that rested on the shelves and Beth grew even more frustrated with everyone in her life. Closing the doors she turned in the kitchen, this had always been her moms favorite room in the house, she would always say it was the heart of their home if only she could see it now, broken like everyone who lived here. With a new found energy Beth grabbed trashed bags from their pantry and started to heave boxes and bottles into the trash. She went through three bags and two hours but once she finished taking the last bag outside she stood on the tile floor and smiled faintly, it wasn't much but it was something. her stomach rumbled in complaint and she was brought back to why she was here in the first place, food.

Deciding to roll with this energy Beth grabbed her purse and keys from the bar and headed out to her truck. It was beaten and worn but it was hers, she had spent hours on the farm and in the vet clinic saving for the death trap. Swinging the door open Beth hoped in and cranked the engine. It took about three turns and some choice words before it roared to life and Beth smiled widely at her hunk of junk, with a small pat on the dash she swung the truck in reverse and headed down the dirt driveway of her families farm. It was stifling in the cab and Beth cranked her window down to get some air flow. The hot Georgia air wasn't much better but it was something. Once on the familiar back road that led to town Beth fiddled with the radio until a faint country tune filled her truck, and with one arm out the window she made her way to the closest grocery store in a twenty mile radius. She made it into town soon enough and Beth was hit with the realization that she was about to face all too familiar faces, it was a small town where everyone knew everything. It had never bothered Beth before because well, she was never gossiped about, she was A student who was quiet and sweet to everyone, her dad was the town vet and her mom was a nurse at the hospital. Her sister on the other hand would always be in the gossip routine, Maggie was wild especially in her younger years it was something Beth was insanely jealous about, her sister had always seemed so free, she was fearless. Beth on the other hand was structured and fearful, her mom use to say they were like fire and water and it never bothered Beth before that she was water but now as she got closer to the Quickly Mart she hated that she was water.

Her hands made the decision for her as she steered straight past the familiar grocery store, the next town was only another twenty miles and she could maybe get away with not being recognized. The drive was bit longer but she didn't mind driving, actually she loved being on the road it had always been the thing that helped clear her mind and today was no different. When she finally got to her destination she pulled into the spot farthest away from the store, it was ridiculous but she didn't want her baby to get any door dings. Taking a glance in the window she smiled at her outfit of sweatpants and ripped black t-shirt, it felt like her small rebellion. Her shopping didn't take long and as expected no one seemed to recognize her, she got a few glances from middle aged moms surely judging her choice of style but other than that it was smooth sailing. She grabbed the essentials and headed home by the time she made a small stop at their mailbox which was filled from being unchecked for so long and her once loved childhood home was empty.

She put the groceries away quickly and then thumbed through the mail, most were bills but there was an envelope that made Beth's heart flutter. It was a big white envelope with the University of Texas crest at the top, her dream school, it felt like she applied years ago but in reality was only a few months ago. Running up to her room she shut her door softly and climbed back on her bed envelope in hand. Slowly she picked it open and dumped out its contents, at the top of the stack was a simple white paper, Congratulations, we are pleased to say that Beth Greene has been accepted to the University of Texas. Squealing Beth flew back on her pillows, this was it this was her ticket out of Georgia and far away from this farm.

She was getting out and no one could stop her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to everyone who has read this story I really appreciate it! I really enjoyed this chapter and I hope you guys do to! Enjoy!**

 _Two_

Night came and went as Beth laid on her back, the thick white envelope hugged to her stomach. Every now and again she would release a sigh loosening her grip but she would lose her nerve and grip harder, it was irrational she knew, to cling on to her acceptance letter but Beth was terrified if she let go it would fade into dust like it never existed. As the time clicked by Beth was finally able to lift her body off her bed and moved to the faded white desk that barred years of chips and sat at a plush blue chair that her mom found at a garage sale a few years back. Slowly Beth placed the packet that held her dreams next to the ancient laptop that helped her get through her last year of high school. It was a sore like most of the things she loved her life, it was dull, gray and dented from years of use by other people, but like her truck Beth treasured it. Lifting the heavy screen Beth pressed hard on the power button and just stared at the screen as it whirled to life. Her mom would always say that Beth's strongest quality was seeing the beauty in the broken and it shined through with the rust bucket that she called a truck and the decaying laptop that hadn't quite died out on her.

Once her home screen popped up Beth double clicked the for the internet and waited as her laptop loaded slower than ever before. Beth could usually be patient but she needed to make sure that she accepted her spot in her dream school, the deadline was tomorrow and there was no way she would wait another minute. It took a good hour to do something as simple as saying yes, but once it was done Beth lightly closed the computer and dumped the packets contents on her desk. There were more loose papers, everything from dorm applications to reminders to make sure all vaccines were up to date but the crowning glory was the brochure. It was a glossy book no more than four pages but Beth read every word and then she reread making sure she got every detail, no stone unturned. Finally content with knowledge Beth stretched her arms and dug through the top drawer of her desk finding the old razor cell phone that had sat there untouched and uncharged since the moment her mom passed. It was an odd feeling holding her once lifeline to all her friends, her sister. Her mom. With a heavy sigh Beth walked to her dresser and plugged the phone in, she stood waiting as the phone charged and then finally flashed on, it found data a second later and soon her phone was vibrating like crazy, text after text roared in, voicemails unheard dinged just as quickly and Beth took another long breath before going through all the messages.

 _Maggie: Beth_ call _me._

 _Shawn: I just heard, I'm so sorry Beth. Please call me._

 _Maggie: ANSWER YOUR PHONE._

 _Daddy: Won't be home tonight._

 _Maggie: Call me. Love you._

Most of the texts were from her sister when Maggie came home the day of the funeral she was ready to strangle Beth from not answering but she didn't care, she simply shrugged and walked away. None of it mattered that day or any day after. It wasn't until she got to the first missed message that she froze, this is why she let her phone die, this was why she didn't dare look at her phone like a coward. It sat there _From Mom_. Beth wanted to click it she really did but she couldn't get her finger to press the button, instead, she closed out of her messages, she wouldn't let it ruin today, toady was hers and if she read that message Beth wasn't sure she'd ever make it off this farm. Instead, she went through her contacts until she found her sister's number and pressed call. It only took three rings before her sisters rich voice was on the other line. "Beth?" It was a mix of shock and relief.

"Hey"

"Hey? You've been MIA and you say hey?" Beth sighed rethinking this decision, maybe she should have texted first.

"Look I know it's been a second since we talked but I have news."

"Whats wrong is dad okay? Are you okay?"

The worry in her sister's voice was a knife in Beth's heart, she knew she should have called a lot sooner, should have kept in touch and the guilt felt crushing, but she would not crumple not anymore.

"Everyone is fine I promise."

It wasn't exactly a lie everyone was seemingly fine, their dad was fine at the bars drinking his heartache away and Beth was fine laying in bed all day wishing just once that the world would stop moving, that just once the world would recognize the soul it lost.

"Good, I've missed your voice. So what's the news?"Beth appreciated her sisters cheery tone even if it was a little off, not quite right.

"Well, you know how I applied to UT? Well, I just got the letter and I got accepted Maggie, I got in." Beth's voice cracked on the last part, it was a mix of every emotion in her heart, joy, sadness but mostly it was a relief.

"You got in? Oh, Bethy that's, that's honestly the best news I've had in a long time."

Her sisters voice was horse like she was holding back the tears and Beth wanted nothing more than to hug her sister, to see her face, to see her smile and without realizing tears rolled down her cheeks, not out of sadness but out happiness.

"Look Bethy I have to get back to work but I'm so happy for you, you deserve this. I'll call you tonight after I get off. I love you." Beth smiled at the words and in a whispered she said the same to her sister before closing the phone and holding it tight.

After she collected herself Beth set the phone down and headed to the bathroom across from her room, she could smell herself and it was foul. Turning on the water she padded back to her room as the water warmed and she grabbed fresh clothes. She decided on jeans and a cotton shirt and with her plush blue towel she headed back to the bathroom stripping her clothes and climbing in, hissing as the warm spray washed over her dirty body. She relished the warmth dipping her blonde hair in the spray until every inch of her was soaked. She lathered her hair in honey vanilla shampoo working it into her ratty locks. She wasn't sure when she started but as she scrubbed and rinse her body she started to hum and as the music filled her she couldn't stop herself as she started to sing. She sang for her sister, for herself, for her mom. Beth just sang until the water turned cold and her throat was raw. It wasn't much but Beth had a small piece of herself back even if she would never be that wide-eyed girl who trusted in family and loved blindly she would have this and right now that was all that mattered.


End file.
